The Importance of Companionship
by PrincessOfDestiny18
Summary: Usually, Rui is the one teaching Wes about the conventions of society, but this time, Wes has his own say. One-shot. WesxRui.


**A/N: Hey all, this is my second fanfic and, yet again, it's the WesxRui pairing; because there's just not enough Colosseumshipping in the World! :) This one is dedicated to my boyfriend, James, who acts as my beta reader and personal cheerleader haha. This is just to say thank you to him for supporting me and being generally lovely ^^ Hope you all enjoy it.**

* * *

Ever since she was a little girl, Rui's favourite spot in Agate Village was beside the town's stunning waterfall. The zone was dominated, as one might expect, by the calming sound of rushing water, as ripples of liquid danced over the prominent cliff edge. The surrounding area consisted of greenery and woodland, where content wild Pokémon could live in peace and harmony, their gentle cries the only sound interrupting the noise of the rushing water. Rui sat with her feet hanging gently off the cliff's edge, beside her travel companion and friend, Wes.

Usually, it was the golden haired Snagger who the one with few words. However, this time, it was Rui who was rendered incapable of speech. She blinked a couple of times; her eyelashes fluttering gracefully over her ocean eyes in an outbreak of shock. Words were completely failing her; she occasionally opened her mouth to speak only to produce an incoherent murmur and shut her mouth again. Just as she thought she had Wes figured out, he smothered her belief merely with a few simple words.

"Wes," Rui finally managed to muster. "I'm not sure I heard you correctly…"

Wes locked his golden eyes to her blue. Rui felt her heart skip a beat; there was something about the golden glisten in his eyes that made him so enthralling, so fascinating. For the first few months after meeting, Wes didn't make eye-contact with her; it seemed that he simply looked right through her. It was obvious to her that he desired to be alone, and he harboured a deep hatred for the world, which she eventually learned the reasoning behind. His upbringing had been horrific, which had left him oblivious to the social norms of today's society. That said, he had improved considerably since they had first met and, slowly, his alienation from the conventional world was decreasing, thanks to her guidance. He had kept his distance at first, she noted, but as they travelled together, eventually exiling the evil criminal syndicate Cipher, Wes, somewhat begrudgingly, had become attached to his red-headed partner.

"I think you did," he probed. "Are you not going to answer?"

"Wes," Rui said, sighing deeply, tearing her gaze away to look down at the rushing water below them. "I thought you were beginning to understand the world…"

Wes furrowed his brow. "I am!"  
"Clearly not," she said with a soft chuckle, "You just asked me to marry you."

"I don't see the issue," Wes said, bluntly. "People get married when they want to spend the rest of their time together, which is what I want to do with you; you're the first human being I've met that I actually care for."  
Rui couldn't help but smile; she always found Wes' isolation somewhat endearing. "What about your parents?"

Wes couldn't help but frown slightly. "Of course I cared for them," he said, his tone seemingly harsh. Rui gently placed her hand over his tentatively. "I meant, since their death, since I was forced into Snagem."

Rui nodded understandably and a somewhat tense silence fell between the pair. Eventually, Wes broke the silence with an uncomfortable cough. "Forget I said anything," he muttered. Rui looked at him sympathetically, and caught sight of the faint blush that had developed over his cheeks.

"I'm just a bit lost," Rui explained. "We're not even…" she blushed. "A… couple… Does this means you… like me… you know, in a romantic sense?"

Wes stared out at the sky, seemingly transfixed to something in the distance. "I don't really understand what love is, Rui. All I know is I care about you, in the sense that I never want you to be hurt and I'd die before I let that happen. You're the only person I've ever met who makes me feel… human; I get nervous around you sometimes, yet I don't feel truly happy unless you're with me, which is why I asked you to marry me. I want you to be with me forever; else I can never be truly happy."

Rui was paralyzed. She never expected such a heartfelt, sweetly naïve confession from the Snagger. His eyes once again met hers and he raised his eyebrows, clearly expecting a response. She granted his request, with a quite simple, but incredibly meaningful…

"Yes."

Wes looked at his companion, his brow furrowed once more. "Yes to what?"  
"I'll marry you. You're right, people do get married when they want to spend the rest of their lives together and… um," she blushed. "I think I agree with you; that's what I want too."

Wes scoffed, but his amused smirk told Rui he was pleased. "I thought you said I wasn't keeping to the conventions of society?"

Rui smiled. "You're not, but screw convention. You make me very happy too, Wes."

Content, the pair smiled at one another; Wes' was more of a smirk but his eyes gave away his happiness. Rui was positively beaming, her doubts completely dissolved. Their eyes broke away, and they looked out at the clear sky before them, hands entwined.

* * *

"Wes?"

"Hmm?"

"Does this mean you're getting me a ring?"

"Rui, I don't have a stable income. You can have my word."


End file.
